www.des.mod.uk Issue 147 November 2020 the magazine for defence equipment desider and support DE&S equips British Army for military and disaster relief operations Invested in Britain Creating prosperity for the whole of the UK Through long-term partnerships with the UK Government, we support over 8,000 jobs across our supply chain in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. RAYTHEON.COM/UK © 2020 Raytheon Technologies. All rights reserved. 13_10_20_ADVERTS_MASTER.indd 1 19/10/2020 11:20 desider November 2020 Foreword ForewordBy Sir Simon Bollom, CEO and have, continued to support with British firms' involvement defence outputs to the best with the competition to build of our ability throughout. We the three warships launching in should celebrate our significant, 2021. numerous and varied successes Elsewhere, more Poseidon during these difficult times and aircraft have arrived at RAF despite various setbacks. Lossiemouth on the newly I feel a great sense of resurfaced runway and we have pride seeing the way we awarded a £46-million contract have continued to deliver a to provide rapidly deployable vast range of equipment and bridges for the British Army. support programmes. Whether We recently announced our working remotely at home, or partnership with Women’s continuing to attend your place Engineering Society; an of work, including at Abbey organisation dedicated to Wood or across our Defence offering inspiration, support Munitions, BFPO, and Logistic and professional development Delivery sites, your resilience to female engineers, scientists is admirable. It cannot be and technologists. We will be overstated how professionally working with them to nurture you have all adapted to our current talent and inspire the challenges we've been the next generation to consider presented with over the past a career in engineering. This seven months. brings me to congratulate Dr We are continuing our pursuit Eluned Lewis and Gemma of innovation and novel ways Smith who have been to train and fight. The latest recognised in this year’s Women iteration of the Army’s flagship In Defence Awards; an annual Army Warfighting Experiment celebration of the incredible recently showcased some of work and value women bring We are continuing“ our the most innovative emerging to the defence enterprise. technologies that will bring Congratulations also to all those pursuit of operational advantages to the recognised in the Queen’s innovation and novel battlefield. This live experiment Birthday Honours for your hard reinforces that the world of work and dedication. These are ways to train and fight Defence is a rapidly changing fantastic achievements and it is landscape and we must work hugely satisfying to see so many closely with our partners of our staff recognised. Well and allies to stay ahead of done. our adversaries by being It also gives me great pleasure ” November brings with it at the forefront of defence to share that Ed Cutts has won significant and unforeseen shifts innovation. It is through both the recent competition for the in what we had expected earlier agile procurement and the role of Director Weapons. I know in the year. COVID-19 remains a development of cutting-edge that he will use this opportunity prominent consideration for us programmes that will keep our to continue to lead the Weapons all; pervading our daily lives and Front Line Commands safe, team with enthusiasm and sending us back into lock-down and ultimately strengthen our determination in the challenges throughout this month, while national security. ahead. the devolved administrations The Royal Navy’s newest Recognising COVID-19 will continue to combat the virus warship, HMS Spey, recently be with us for some months in similar but varying ways. arrived in Portsmouth, marking to come, please continue to This follows the news of a the end of the DE&S-led support one another and look delay in the Integrated Review procurement of the second after yourselves. Stay safe. and announcement that the batch of Offshore Patrol Vessels. Spending Review is likely be a The programme was delivered one-year exercise. However, at pace and achieved around we have not allowed ourselves £44-million of savings. Well to dwell; Defence remains a done to all involved. It has also national priority and we must, been announced that the Fleet Solid Support Ships will be built 3 desider November 2020 Contents Contents Twitter: @DefenceES On the cover Facebook: @DefenceES Royal Engineers from 37 (Three Seven) Squadron strip a medium girder bridge LinkedIn: Defence Equipment & Support (Picture Sgt Wes Calder RLC) YouTube: DE&S www.gov.uk/government/publications/desider-2020 Editor: Louisa Keefe Louisa Keefe - 07971 013054 [email protected] Contributors: Daniel Evans, Louise Allford, Tom Morris, Lowri Jones, Ash Pitman, Hannah Swingler, Paul McLennan Photography and Design: Katherine Williams, Jack Eckersley, Charlie Perham, Andrew Linnett, Geraint Vaughan, Grace Tamsett, Will Andrews and Hannah Bone Distribution Manager: Dick Naughton - 0117 9134342 6Senior Leader Comment [email protected] Major General Darren Crook Advertising Manager: Director Land Equipment Edwin Rodrigues [email protected] +44 (0) 20 3411 1008 Printing desider is distributed free to DE&S employees and the equipment capability organisations. Copies may be sent to readers outside MOD, including in the defence industries and is published on the world wide web via GOV.UK and www.des.mod.uk. While the editor takes care to ensure all material produced is accurate, no liability can be accepted for errors or omissions. Views expressed in desider, and products and services advertised, are not necessarily endorsed by DE&S or the MOD. All editorial submissions must be cleared by the relevant MOD authorities. © Crown Copyright HMS8 Spey This magazine is printed on Novatech Matt FS 115gsm Final Offshore Patrol Vessel delivery which is Forest Stewardship Council certified material from well-managed forests and elemental chlorine free. 4 desider November 2020 Contents 10ECRS Radar Joint team charter signed 21Women in Defence Celebrating DE&S staff 12Queen's Birthday Honours 24FUCHS Chemical, DE&S staff recognised for Biological, Radiological and dedication to defence Nuclear vehicle upgrade 17First Person 18Army Warfighting Experiment 2020 28Virtual London Marathon Min Rodriguez, DE&S Diversity,Inclusion and Wellbeing Lead 5 desider November 2020 Senior Leader Comment Major General Darren Crook, Director Land Equipment, talks to Desider about his role, his priorities for the year ahead and being inspired through COVID-19. Taking up post as Director Land how we work, and we’ve had to to exploit new technologies and with safety in mind. Whether that’s Equipment in February this year, identify and establish new tools for equipment. Adapting to this the safety of those on operations, I quickly found myself tackling a collaborating with each other to demand, increasing the pace of in our project teams, or our different challenge to that which get the job done. delivery while embracing the customers and suppliers, we must I expected, and one no-one could Although we’ve started to environmental challenges and take responsibility for looking have predicted-COVID-19. become more agile in our ways creating export opportunities, will after ourselves and each other. I Facing a global pandemic just of working, we must make every need all of us to be at our best. think that now, particularly in the two months into post has taught effort to continue to collaborate But, most importantly, my top midst of a pandemic, this is more me a lot about the people in my and communicate regularly with priority is always the safety of my obvious than ever. Let’s make it team and their commitment to industry, suppliers and customers. people. No matter our role, it’s count by driving on together. continuing to deliver day-in, day- This is vital to maintaining our pivotal that everything we do starts out, regardless of the significant relationships and ensuring we all changes we’ve been forced to make have a shared understanding of in the way we operate. Despite requirements. everything, their shared passion Continuing to set the conditions and dedication to delivery has for success, delivering with been at the forefront of their excellence and maintaining actions. in-service excellence to ensure Individuals and teams from success on current and future No matter our role, it’s pivotal across my operating centre have operations – even in the face of “ been working incredibly hard adversity – is a key priority going that everything we do starts to support the ongoing efforts forward. against COVID-19. We’ve had staff In the short term, my focus with safety in mind. Whether deployed to support the NHS and will be on delivering our major Cabinet Office, teams procuring projects and programmes that’s the safety of those on PPE, and of course those providing across the portfolio, for example operations, in our project equipment in support of COVID delivering close-combat approvals, teams, while also supporting delivering Ajax and maintaining teams, or our customers military logistic brigades and momentum on Boxer. Of course, and suppliers, we must take operations. this won’t be without its challenges Seeing different communities and one of the biggest we currently responsibility for looking after and networks of support grow face is how to continue delivering among our people during this positive outcomes with so many ourselves and each other time has been inspiring. We’ve external constraints in play. had to adapt our behaviours and In my opinion, the future of learn to communicate in different DE&S – and defence in general ways, become more flexible in – will see an increased appetite ” 6 desider November 2020 News Fleet Solid Support ships will be built with British involvement A competition to build three vessels for the Royal Navy will be launched in 2021 (Picture LPhot Luke) Vital warships providing operation across trade, defence supplies and technical support to and security.